Fiery Turkey-Pumpkin Chili

 

This healthy, filling soup is great for chilly weeknights—it’s packed with ground turkey, charred poblanos, pumpkin and toasty spices. The pumpkin adds a subtle sweetness and body to the chili that is so good with the spicy chipotle peppers. Be sure to lay out lots of vibrant toppings—Mexican crema, diced white onion, sliced chiles, avocado, cilantro, lime wedges and toasted pumpkin seeds—so everyone can customize their own.

 

Serves 6

  • 2 large poblano peppers

  • 2 Tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil

  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 pounds ground turkey, preferably 85/15

  • 2 Tablespoons chile powder

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed with your hands

  • One 15-ounce can pumpkin purée (about 2 cups; not pumpkin pie filling)

  • 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth, plus more as needed

  • 1 cup brewed coffee

  • 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, stemmed and minced, plus 1 Tablespoon of sauce from the can, plus more as needed

  • One 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

  • Sour cream, sliced avocado, thinly sliced onion, toasted pepitas and small cilantro sprigs, for garnish

  • Lime wedges and hot sauce, for serving

    1. Under a broiler on HIGH or over the flame on your stove top, char the poblano peppers all over, turning them occasionally with metal tongs, until they’re completely black, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag, seal and let sit for 15 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to wipe off the charred skin. Stem and seed the peppers, then finely chop.

    2. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

    3. Increase the heat to high and add the ground turkey, breaking it up with your spoon, until it is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spices and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, or until the spices smell toasty and fragrant. 

    4. Add the tomatoes, canned pumpkin, chicken stock, coffee, chipotle chiles and the adobo sauce and stir until combined. Stir in the chopped poblanos and season with salt and pepper. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the color has deepened and the chili has thickened slightly, at least 30 minutes. If your chili gets too thick, gradually add more chicken stock.

    5. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. If you’d like to make the chili spicier, then add more adobo sauce 1 tablespoon at a time. Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with sour cream, avocado, sliced onion, toasted pepitas and cilantro. Serve right away, passing lime wedges and hot sauce at the table.

MAKE AHEAD The chili can be refrigerated for up to 1 week and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.